Through a governor’s ordinance, the govt has formulated a law to empower people. PHOTO: REUTERS

PESHAWAR:

After a much-hailed Right to Information law, the provincial government aims to establish a human rights directorate, the first of its kind in the country, to help address citizens’ complaints.

Talking to The Express Tribune, a high-ranking government official said the premise behind setting up the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Human Rights Directorate is to help people get their complaints redressed in time. He added that the directorate will be set up through a governor’s ordinance called the K-P Human Rights Directorate Act and that it was a unique step which has not been taken by any other province yet. “Anyone’s complaint against any individual, institution or official will be addressed through the directorate,” he said.

“When a citizen lodges a complaint regarding any issue they confront, the head of the directorate would act as a complainant and process the case accordingly,” he said, adding that the law will only cover K-P.

An official familiar with the matter said the K-P Human Rights Directorate will function as part of the provincial law department. Explaining the broad contours of the law, he said “The director will look into the nature of the complaint and decide as to which competent court or legal forum would hear the case,” he said.

“The law, besides envisaging the protection of rights of citizens, will help towards tightening the noose around government officials to be mindful of citizens’ rights to immediate redressing of their problems.”

Furthermore, an official at the Governor’s House confirmed that the ordinance had been signed by the K-P governor and would be presented for approval in the provincial assembly during its next session.

By law, the ordinance should be approved by the house within 90 days or it will expire, he added.

Chief minister’s spokesperson Shiraz Paracha said the setting up of the human rights directorate should be viewed as part of a series of laws passed by the K-P government to establish a checks and balances system. He added that similar steps taken by the government include the Right to Information law, Ehtisab (accountability) Commission and the formulation of conflict of interest laws in the province.

“All these laws and the human rights directorate are part of a larger scheme with the sole aim of empowering citizens,” claimed Paracha.

The spokesperson further said the idea of developing a law which would set up a human rights directorate in K-P was initially conceived by late law minister Israrullah Gandapur who was killed in a suicide attack in October this year.

“It was later formulated by the provincial law secretary through the directives of the chief minister,” he shared.

Another great step! Being PTI’s voter, I was a little disappointed with their initial few months progress. But now i can see good things coming. Slow, but they are coming. And these are not short term plans. They are aimed at giving power to the people. When people would know their power, no one would be able to snatch their rights! Good luck I.K and PTI. I just hope KP gets rid of this terrorism thingy ASAP and PTI can put all the time and resources in making a better KP and ultimately a Pakistan, of which Quaid dreamt! GOOD LUCK and ALL prayers! May ALLAH be with you. :) Recommend

KP government of PTI has made very good laws, which is praiseworthy. Laws are good and useful only if they are enforced vigorously. The only agency that can enforce the laws is Police. PTI government has not even thought of reforming the police whose structure was made by the colonial power in 1861 to control and oppress the people. It was not created to serve and protect the population. Can KP government start to think of reforming the police? Best thing would be to revamp it and adopt Western police system.

@Yasir Mehmood:
If you can….please visit Peshawar and ask the people themselves. You are as ignorant and maybe jealous just like PMLN and PPP. ARY and other TV channels have taken public interviews and majority people said that they were starting to see and feel the change talked about by PTI. You need to stop being biased and judge with an open heart. Salams.Recommend